The 2008 Money Neutral Gift Challenge

jamtart6 · 2 December 2007 at 1:39PM

Hi All!
Building on the success some of us have had on the eBay neutral Christmas challenge: (http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=548886&highlight=ebay+neutral,

we decided to start a

"2008 Money Neutral Gift Challenge".

I've posted this slightly early as I know how busy Christmas is...but January and the sales are the best time to start this kind of challenge.

I'm sure you all save Tesco, Sainsbury, Pigsback etc. vouchers, but inevitably we have to spend hard earned cash at Christmas and Birthdays too...so the aim of this challenge is to :

A) Try and get as many presents as possible with Tesco/Nectar/Boots points so you don't spend cash

Try and buy gifts early in the sales to reduce actual cost of how much you spend

C) Use survey websites and pigsback to earn vouchers so that you don't have to spend cash on presents just the vouchers, and encourage you to enrol in all loyalty schemes (for example Waterstones have just started a new one up)

D) If you HAVE to spend cash, have a de-clutter and sell your stuff on eBay to earn the money that you have spent back. You can also use your quidco earnings to offset the cash spent

:TRESULT = A MONEY NEUTRAL YEAR:T
for
:TBirthday and Christmas Gifts. :T

We have all found having a "group" who were doing a similar thing really helped, as when some of us couldn't be bothered listing on eBay, the others would encourage them, etc. also with this challenge, we can share loyalty schemes, survey sites, etc. and keep each other posted on how we are getting on. We also found that having 'levels' helped, as we could aim for the next level - see the levels below....

Where do I start?

1. Make a list of everyone you need presents for in a "Gift Notebook"

2. Keep your eye out in the sales for anything that might suit that person for their birthday or Christmas - try and buy it with loyalty points/vouchers

3. Make a note of how much you spend in the book and mark if you spend vouchers, points or cash

4. Try and earn the hard cash back via eBay (I'm not encouraging you to earn it back via Quidco, but if you do have any spare quidco funds then use it to offset what you have spent.

5. Keep us posted on how you are doing with earning your points, buying your gifts, selling on eBay etc. I will probably keep my update in my signature (in very small font!)

Well we'd love you to join us - so feel free to post as much as you want, if you already know you will have spare points/vouchers etc for next years gift buying then keep us posted now!
Best of luck and hopefully this time next year, we will have all had a money neutral gift buying year!!!

Sallys_Savings · 3 December 2007 at 12:06AM

Hey I'mmmmmmmmmm here

I'll be back in the new year.

Thanks Jamtart!!!!!

brownjasperdog · 3 December 2007 at 12:01PM

Brilliant! Can't wait to hit Tesco on Boxing Day!

Nix143 · 3 December 2007 at 12:07PM

What a really good idea, I think I might be persuaded to have a go at this. I've been a bit lax with my voucher/points/Ebaying this year and need something to focus me - this sounds just the ticket.

One question - if I win something by comping then I'm ok to include that, yes? Well you can live in hope

As it is I have a few things to Ebay that were comping wins - who knew that one person could win two picnic baskets? LOL

Good luck everyone :T

Sallys_Savings · 3 December 2007 at 3:03PM

brownjasperdog wrote: »

Brilliant! Can't wait to hit Tesco on Boxing Day!

LOL you sound as sad as me.
I'm exactly the same, desperate to get those bargains in the sales

jamtart6 · 4 December 2007 at 12:06AM

Lol yes thats fine! Recycled gifts are money neutral, competition wins, things bought with points/vouchers etc. are all money neutral....if you give a gift that you pay cold hard cash for...thats when you need to get on the old eBay!

lunar · 4 December 2007 at 12:35PM

count me in, ill post an update of my left over points on new year, can i include the birthday pressies on my list of things i need to get? i want to try using vouchers, points for all those too!

scattymam1 · 4 December 2007 at 12:56PM

:money: :money:
love this can I join, I loved the ebay neutral savings idea but I was a bit late to start(already bought everything), but will def. do this challenge - bring it on !!! I will have to do this as I am moving to a more expensive house hopefully easter next year so will need every last penny.
Have dug out a notepad so I don't have to spend on a new one.:T

candyblue · 4 December 2007 at 1:25PM

I would love to join this challenge to I will go for the moneysaving angel level

Thanks

Uniscots97 · 4 December 2007 at 1:30PM

I'll sign up too please.

wornoutmumoftwo · 5 December 2007 at 3:25PM

I would love to have a go at this.

I'm currently doing the earn £10 in December challenge which for me means surveys and daily clicks so this would be an added incentive to use my earnings wisely.

The 2008 Money Neutral Gift Challenge

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